Children of the 80s have been enjoying the celebration of milestone anniversaries for some of their favorite movies form the decade over the past six years, and this year brings another for one of John Hughes‘ beloved movies. Pretty in Pink was released in theaters on February 28th, 1986, which makes next month the 30th anniversary for the film. And in honor of the anniversary, the film starring Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer and Andrew McCarthy is coming back to theaters for a two-day event. Get the details on when you can see Pretty in Pink in theaters again below! Read More »

In the proud tradition of Dumb and Dumber and Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion, the Sundance comedy Ass Backwards features two complete morons who might be tragic if they weren’t so irrepressibly pleased with themselves. June Diane Raphael (NTSF:SD:SUV) and Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) star as Kate and Chloe, two NYC gals who’ve been BFFs since they placed dead last in their hometown pageant as kids.

When they’re invited back to celebrate the pageant’s 50th anniversary, they embark on a road trip that, naturally, gets them tangled up in all sorts of insane shenanigans. Alicia Silverstone, Paul Scheer, and Vincent D’Onofrio also star. Watch the first trailer after the jump.

Back in 2009, the Polish Brothers, Mark and Michael, released two films on the festival circuit: The Smell of Success premiered at Sundance, while Stay Cool opened at Tribeca. Now, two years later, both films are finally getting released in theaters. The Smell of Success just got a very limited opening this month, and Stay Cool will be hitting theaters September 16. A new trailer’s just been released for the latter, and… well, I can see why no one was in a hurry to rush this out.

Stay Cool follows a successful writer named Henry McCarthy (Mark Polish) who returns to his high school as a commencement speaker at the request of Principal Marshall (Chevy Chase). Once Henry arrives, Marshall encourages him to “connect” with the graduating class, which apparently means sitting in on classes and passing notes with students. (I don’t know about you, but I have never had a commencement speaker that did this.) Winona Ryder plays Henry’s high school crush, who’s now a local pharmacist, while Hilary Duff plays a current student who’s got her eye on Henry. Sean Astin, Josh Holloway, and Jon Cryer also star. Watch the trailer after the jump.

Warner Bros has finally released full details and the first photos from Robert Rodriguez‘s next film, a kids adventure film called Shorts. The official plot synopsis follows:

“Set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses look the same and everyone works for Black Box Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black’s Black Box is the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget that’s sweeping the nation. Other than keeping his parents employed, however, Mr. Black’s Black Box has done nothing for 11- year-old Toe Thompson, who just wants to make a few friends… until a mysterious rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky, hits him in the head and changes everything. The Rainbow Rock does Mr. Black’s Black Box one better: it grants wishes to anyone who holds it. Before long, wishes-gone-wrong have left the neighborhood swarming with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, giant boogers… and outrageous magical mayhem around every corner. But it’s not until the grown-ups get their hands on the Rock that the trouble really starts. Now Toe and his new found friends must join forces to save their town from itself, discovering along the way that what you wish for is not always what you want.”

I’m usually up for seeing anything Rodriguez does, especially if there is a commentary on the DVD. He’s like the old movie magic magicians from my childhood. And even when the kiddish plot isn’t particularly interesting, its always fun to find out how he accomplished some of the things he has on screen. I’ve always said he’s one of a handful of directors that I love to hear talk, but I don’t put much value in their actual filmography. But is it just me, or does the mysterious rainbow-colored rock thing look like something out of a direct to dvd or made for tv movie?

Robert Rodriguez always has like five projects going at the same time. He’s been hard at work “developing” Barbarella (or trying to convince the studio to give him the money to make it with his future wife Rose McGowan in the lead) and just announced a TV show called Women In Chains (also starring Rose McGowan), which he’s pitching to various networks, but his next feature film to go into production will be… drumroll please…

Shorts is a family comedy adventure that follows an 11-year-old boy who is hit in the head with a rainbow-colored rock that grants wishes to anyone who holds it. Chaos erupts in this small suburb where “all the houses look the same and everyone works for Black Box, manufacturer of the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget.” Sounds more Spy Kids or The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D than Grindhouse or Sin City. Jon Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann and James Spader have signed on to star. I’m surprised Rodriguez didn’t try to squese McGowan into this project as well. Rodriguez, always a one-man show, will direct based on his own screenplay, and serve as producer, director of photography, editor, visual effects supervisor and, who knows, he might even provide the score (not yet confirmed). But what else is new?